PHX Reporter

On Saturday, New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman triggered a fire alarm just as the House was preparing to vote on a continuing resolution aimed at preventing a government shutdown. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy alleges that Bowman intentionally pulled the alarm, while Bowman claims that it was an accident.

According to NPR, McCarthy has called for an investigation into Bowman, who pulled a fire alarm in a Capitol office building, leading to a delay of over 2 hours in the scheduled vote. Republicans have accused Bowman of trying to stall the vote, citing the limited time Democrats had to review the bill. Bowman claims that his action occurred as he rushed to cast his vote and found a usually open door closed, emphasizing that he had no intention of impeding the House vote. However, many Republicans are drawing parallels to the events of January 6 and are calling for consequences for Bowman's actions.

House Republicans and Democrats reached an agreement on a short-term funding bill, commonly referred to as a continuing resolution, or CR, to prevent a government shutdown. The Senate subsequently voted to pass the continuing resolution with just three hours remaining before a potential shutdown, ensuring the government remains open for the next 45 days. The 71-page short-term bill, orchestrated by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, does not incorporate new financial assistance for Ukraine. Recent disagreements have centered on spending levels and the allocation of additional aid to Ukraine, with the United States having already provided over $111 billion in aid to the country, according to CNBC.

In response to the allegations, Bowman released a statement denying any intention to delay the vote. "I want to be very clear, this was not me, in any way, trying to delay any vote. It was the exact opposite -- I was trying urgently to get to a vote, which I ultimately did and joined my colleagues in a bipartisan effort to keep our government open," said Bowman. He also met with the Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol Police to explain what had happened.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy questioned Bowman's claim that it was an accident. "Well, first of all, we’re going to go through the investigation. What’s really interesting — this is a former principal. He knows what a fire alarm is,” McCarthy said on "Fox and Friends" on Monday. “But what’s interesting, if it really — really was just an accident, when the Capitol Police came to interview you, why would you lawyer up right away?”

Abe Hamadeh, a political commentator, expressed his concerns about the lack of consequences for Democrats. "Democrats feel emboldened because there are no consequences… for them," Hamadeh stated.

The investigation into Bowman's actions and any potential consequences are yet to be determined.